ASA International Scholar Lecture Series - The Ancient Mediterranean
Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete photo by Kristen Hellstrom. Via ASA website.
Speakers
Dr Don Evely, Curator, British School of Athens at Knossos, Crete
Dr Erin Gibson, a Landscape Archaeologist, with interest in past human activity in the Eastern Mediterranean
Program
10.00 - 11.00 Lecture 1: A Tale of Two Islands: Cyprus and Crete in the Bronze Age by Dr Don Evely
11.00 - 11.30 Morning Tea
11.30 - 12.30 Lecture 2: A Layered Past: Reading the Landscapes of Cyprus and Turkey by Dr Erin Gibson
12.30 - 1.45 Lunch Break
1.45 - 2.45 Lecture 3: Knossos: Past, Present and Future by Dr Don Evely
2.45 - 3.00 Break
3.00 - 4.00 Lecture 4: Mediterranean Journeys: The Archaeology and Anthropology of Travel by Dr Erin Gibson
Lecture Details
Lecture 1: A Tale of Two Islands: Cyprus and Crete in the Bronze Age by Dr Don Evely
These, the two largest islands in the East Mediterranean, are not so dissimilar in their size, range of habitats and natural resources. Indeed Cyprus, with is abundant copper ores, is the more blessed of the pair in this last category. In the Bronze-Age, Crete produced the Minoans: complex, cultured and deserved contenders for global regard and admiration. Contemporary Cyprus is rather quaint and parochial in contrast. One society jelled into a palatial life-style, the other did not. Why is this so? Especially given that their later historical manifestations are far more comparable. We will compare the two and look for clues.
Lecture 2: A Layered Past: Reading the Landscapes of Cyprus and Turkey by Dr Erin Gibson
It is not enough anymore to speak of landscape as one would topography – the objective descriptiosn of mountain contours. It is understood that a landscape is something that is formed out of our own experiences, our memories and experiences of a place. This lecture is an exploration of the many landscapes of Cyprus and Turkey from the Industrial landscapes of Cyprus’ bronze age to the religious landscapes of Cappadocia and urban landscapes or ‘city scapes’ of Ephesus – this lecture will explore the many varied landscapes of Cyprus and Turkey.
‘Landscape’ is not an uncommon word to us - but what does it really mean? No longer is the term ‘landscape’ used interchangeably with topography – the objective descriptions of physical geography – like the contours on a mountainside. Instead landscape in anthropology and archaeology is a much more social concept. We can speak now of sacred, industrial, urban and rural landscapes – how they are formed today by our actions and interactions and how they were formed in the past. This lecture is an exploration of the many interwoven landscapes of Cyprus and Turkey – from the industrial slagheaps of Cyprus to the ‘city scapes’ of Ephesus. While we visit the archaeology of these distant lands we will also take the time to reflect on our own understanding of landscape and how it impacts how we see our own place in today’s society.
Lecture 3: Knossos: Past, Present and Future by Dr Don Evely
A town for all tastes: the 8-millennia-long story of this premier settlement in the East Mediterranean has something for everybody - in quantity and always in quality. Through a series of vignettes, we will explore recent discoveries and research conducted at and through the holdings that the British School in Athens curates at Knossos. The smallest sherd or an expensive cutting-edge technology can alike open up fresh vistas for thought: they may well solve old conundrums, but - and more often - they pose yet new questions. It keeps work at Knossos constantly on the move.
Lecture 4: Mediterranean Journeys: The Archaeology and Anthropology of Travel by Dr Erin Gibson
The human passion for travel is not a new phenomenon. Humankind has been seeking out distant lands for centuries – but why? This lecture will explore the motivations, explorations and consequences of travel in both antiquity and contemporary society. Archaeological, anthropological and literary sources will be included in this lecture that spans from the first pygmy hippo hunters of Cyprus to Herodotus and the travels of Mark Twain.
Date: Saturday 24th March
Venue: Monash University, Caulfield Campus, Dandenong Rd (note theatrette to be confirmed)
Bookings: Contact ASA on: (03) 9822 6899, Freecall 1800 645755 (outside Melbourne Metro) or email: info@asatours.com.au
Cost: $20.00 Morning session (Lectures 1 & 2), $20.00 Afternoon session (Lectures 3 & 4), $35.00 Full Day (all four lectures)
Please visit the ASA website for more information on all of these lectures and biographies of the lecturers.
All welcome.